Competency, Culture and Compliance: The Big Themes from the Latest CEO Network
March marked the first CEO Network meeting of 2026 and the third since the Network was established. The CEO Network provides a dedicated forum for senior leaders in the BEMS industry to explore the key issues shaping the growth of the sector, their organisations, and their workforce.
A central focus of the discussion was one of the industry’s most significant barriers to growth: people. The ongoing shortage of BEMS professionals continues to make it challenging to attract individuals with the right skills. Employers need confidence that new recruits bring not only the required knowledge but also strong technical capability across disciplines such as design, installation, commissioning, software, and graphics.
Sector skills cards remain a primary means of verifying competency, placing increased importance on robust competency assessments and revalidation. Members discussed the value of competency from the individual’s perspective, noting that employers are often the ones who fund the necessary training, absorb the cost of off‑the‑job learning, and ultimately pay for a card that the individual retains if they move on. While this investment is recognised as part of normal workforce development, members also highlighted that company culture, working environment, and employee benefits are essential for retaining staff in a market where demand far outstrips supply.
The group also emphasised the need for competency processes that support—not disadvantage—older workers. Ensuring that experienced professionals are not driven into early retirement because competency requirements are unnecessarily difficult is crucial for preserving industry knowledge and capability.
The Network went on to discuss the Building Safety Act, where competency is a core element. Knowledge of the Act and its relevance to BEMS was first explored at the October CEO meeting, after which the BCIA introduced a series of free introductory BSA training sessions for members. This support will be expanded over the summer with BEMS‑specific workshops, dedicated guidance for members, and a Q&A event currently in development.
The third major area of discussion focused on the BEMS Delivery Framework, which is currently under development. Members debated the practicalities of the Framework and agreed on its purpose and value in helping to bridge the knowledge gap between specification, delivery, and system outcomes versus client objectives.
The CEO Network meets twice a year, the next will take place in central Manchester on 16th September from 11.00am – 14.00pm. The Network is exclusively for CEO’s, MD’s and C-Suite executives. You can request attendance here.